Programmes

Programmes

CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION

CCE has always been at the heart of Singapore’s education system. In Maha Bodhi School, our students learn to be responsible for their own growth and understand their roles in shaping the future of their family, school, community and our nation.

Our school values and the CCE learning outcomes form the bedrock for the design of the various school learning experiences that serve to cultivate values and build competencies in our students to develop them into inspired learners of exemplary character.

HEARTS

In Maha Bodhi School, we adopt the HEARTS approach to ensure that CCE is implemented effectively. It is the shared responsibility of all departments that our students develop a sharp sense of how much character matters. We also want them to lead purposeful, productive and fulfilling lives. In HEARTS, we equip our students with identified Habits of Mind, Empower our students by heightening their awareness of and developing their Social Emotional and 21st Century Competencies, provide Authentic learning experiences for Values In Action, Reaching out through our Pastoral Care Programme, Teaching them knowledge, skills and values related to their involvement in the school explicitly and affect them through our SAP Ethos.

Habits of Mind (HOM)

Through educating the students on Habits of Mind, we hope to see our students drawing upon the habits of mind when they are faced with uncertain or challenging situations. The students need something beyond content knowledge and thinking skills in order to do well in future. It is not just about knowing the answers only. It is also about how our students can cope with having no answers or many possible answers. The habits identified to help our students cope better with their daily challenges are Managing Impulsivity, Responding with Wonderment and Awe, Listening with Understanding and Empathy, Questioning and Posing Problems as well as Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision. We educate our students to approach all issues through ACE.

Be Aware

Care enough to make a difference

Express it through our words and actions

Apart from Character Awards such as the Model Pupil Award, Bodhian Star Award and the ECHA Award, our enhanced ACE Programme affirms other deserving students. On a termly basis, five students in each class receive a collar pin and a certificate to commend them for having demonstrated traits consistent with our school values. Beary Good News Postcards are also sent to the parents of students who have done a good deed each month.

Empower students by heightening their awareness of and developing their Social Emotional Competencies and 21st Century Competencies

This is a whole school approach in ensuring that various platforms are available in the school to enable students to practise HOM and enhance their SE and 21st CC with meaning and purpose. From this year onwards, school programmes are designed to revolve around meaningful themes as follows:

Term

Theme

1

Let’s Do Our Best.

2

Let’s Be Thankful.

3

Let’s Put Others Before Ourselves.

4

Let’s Care for Our Environment.

Student Leadership

Student Leadership roles are created in class and at CCAs. Students are identified by the teachers based on their mastery of Habits of Mind. Students who exhibit potential are put up for the Prefects Interview. This year, students nominated by the Level Teachers went through an interview in Term 1. During the interview, the students were accessed based on their self-management competency, Relationship Management competency and their level of spontaneity during the session. The interview panel for each level consisted of the Year Head and another member of the Student Development Team (SDT). The input of the Subject Teachers in 2017 were sought, where necessary, before the list of Prefects for 2017 was confirmed and communicated to the teachers.

Three nominees for the Head Prefect Election as well as Team Leaders forming the EXCO were identified during the P6 Prefects Interview. These nominees gave their election talks during Assembly. Posters designed by them were also put up in the canteen to rally for their supporters’ votes. All P3-P6 students as well as teachers were involved in the voting during HOM session. A weightage of 50% each was assigned to the votes cast by teachers and students. In the end, Daphne Kang Pei Zhen was appointed as Head Prefect for 2017. Tricia Teo Yah Qi and Lee Jie were appointed as Assistant Head Prefects for 2017.

On 6 March, during Prefects Investiture, the Prefects of each level were introduced to the school. Thereafter, the EXCO Team as well as the Assistant Head Prefects and Head Prefect were introduced to the students. The prefects, led by Daphne Kang, took their Prefects Pledge. Since then, our prefects have been involved in meetings to prepare them for their projects and duties in the school.

Bully-Free Programme

Our Bully-free Ambassadors clinched the “Best Team Award” during the annual Bully-free Ambassadors Training this year. Thereafter, they continue to exhibit their commitment by meeting on Mondays to design activities for their peers on CCE Day 2017.

Authentic learning experiences

Our students in all six levels embark on Values in Action (VIA) projects that provide as platforms for them to put their HOM to good use. These platforms serve to engage students in authentic experiences and reflect on their thoughts, decisions and actions constructively.

Lower Primary Values in Action Project – Project Befriender

Project Befriender is a collaboration between Young Minds Club, a programme under Mendaki Club, and Maha Bodhi School. The project seeks to heighten our students’ awareness of and enhance their appreciation for the contributions by foreign workers in Singapore. On 17 April 2017, members of Young Minds Club shared with our students on the challenges faced by the foreign workers during assembly. Teachers facilitated the discussion in class during which the students reflected and pen down their thoughts. Based on a suggested list of items, the students also formed groups and discussed their contribution to an appreciation gift pack to be given to the workers. Each student also wrote a thank you note to express their gratitude to the workers. At the first round of issuance, a representative from each class presented 22 foreign workers in our PERI Upgrading Team with the appreciation gift packs. The remaining packs were issued to other foreign workers under TWC2 (Transient Workers Count Too) at Isthana Restaurant. Well done, Primary 1 and Primary 2! Let’s continue to be thankful.

Cyber Wellness

Maha Bodhi School kickstarted our first training with Touch Cyber Wellness. The Ambassadors learnt about what Cyber Wellness entails and how they can promote Cyber Wellness in school. In-house training sessions further prepared the Ambassadors for Cyber Wellness Week activities that they co-planned with Miss Christabel Lim, Subject Head/ Cyber Wellness. The 2-day event, which took place in Term 2 Week 9, focused on 3 main issues, namely Cyberbullying, Discernment of Fake News and Safe and Responsible Use of Internet. Following an assembly talk, our ambassadors guided their peers with clear instructions during the recess activities. The children learnt through hands-on activities and had fun whilst learning the importance of being responsible digital learners.

Reaching out through Pastoral Care Programme

Besides the Teacher-Student Interaction sessions, the school counsellor always keeps the door to The Listening Heart open for students who need a listening ear. Families in need of financial assistance are helped through the MOE FAS and Maha Bodhi School Needy Pupil Fund where students receive food vouchers on a weekly basis. Values Education lessons and Da Ai Ma Ma sessions for Primary 1 and Primary 2 students are conducted on Wednesdays. Students from P3 to P5 are given the options to attend Values Education programmes after school on Wednesdays while they remain in school to wait for the commencement of CCAs. Our students also show appreciation for their fellow schoolmates and other members in the Maha Bodhi family by writing thank you notes in the Happy Rainbows Cards. They also celebrate their classmates’ birthdays with the MBS Happy Birthday cards and a birthday song sung by the class.

Teaching explicitly

Explicit teaching during FTGP, CCE and Sexuality Education lessons take place on a regular basis as part of the curriculum. Teacher-Student Relationship sessions are structured into the morning before school time to enable teachers to conduct meaningful conversations with the students.